Citizens Advice warns over a third of Brits worried about affording energy bills this winter

More than 10 million households, or 37% of Britons, are worried about how they will afford their energy bills this winter, according to research published by Citizens Advice on 26 August 2026¹. The charity's survey also suggests 3.5 million households are currently in energy debt, meaning they are behind on bills or without gas or electricity because they cannot afford to top up a prepayment meter¹.

The survey ran between 23 and 28 July and reached 4,556 participants across England, Wales and Scotland¹. Citizens Advice calculated population figures using ONS Families and Households 2025 data¹. It found 12% of all households are in debt to their supplier, rising to 25% for households from ethnic minority groups, 24% for those on means-tested benefits and 17% for disabled people¹. Only one in five people in energy debt, 19%, said their supplier had proactively contacted them with offers of support¹.

Among prepayment meter customers, 28% lost gas or electricity in the past year because they could not afford to top up, and 21% of those said they were typically without power for 12 hours or more¹. The weighted figure of prepayment customers in the survey is 12%, or 556 respondents¹. Households in energy debt reported cutting back on food spending (38%), leisure and social activities including seeing friends and family less (36%), and using less heating even when it is cold (32%)¹.

On prices, Citizens Advice says that from October 2025 to October 2026, using Ofgem's new TDCVs, the energy price cap has increased by around 10%, from £1,576.44 to Cornwall Insight's prediction of £1,729.31¹. It cites ONS real time PAYE income data suggesting incomes have risen by only 4% over the same period¹.

The charity is calling for a package of government support, including a reformed Warm Home Discount paid for in part through general taxation. It says this could save dual-fuel households on means-tested benefits around £400 a year, in addition to the existing £150 Warm Home Discount payment¹. Its modelling puts the reduction at £399 for the average dual-fuel household receiving means-tested benefits, and £39 for average dual-fuel households not on means-tested benefits¹. It also wants more policy costs that fund renewables moved from electricity bills into taxation, and delivery of the long-delayed Debt Relief Scheme¹.

Why it matters for households

The figures describe the position before this winter's bills arrive. Ofgem's price cap, as measured on the new TDCVs, has risen about 10% between October 2025 and October 2026, from £1,576.44 to a predicted £1,729.31, while the PAYE income data cited shows a 4% rise¹. For households already behind, the survey indicates debt is concentrated among those on means-tested benefits, ethnic minority households and disabled people¹.

For prepayment meter customers, falling behind can mean losing supply: 28% of those surveyed had self-disconnected in the past year because they could not afford to top up, and a fifth of those went without power for 12 hours or more¹. The charity's proposed Warm Home Discount reform would apply to dual-fuel households on means-tested benefits, with a modelled reduction of £399 on top of the existing £150 payment, and £39 for average dual-fuel households not on means-tested benefits¹. No government decision on that proposal has been reported.

Households dealing with arrears can read our guide to energy and water bill arrears, and our debt section covers the wider options.

What happens next

Citizens Advice has set out three asks of government: move more renewables policy costs from electricity bills into taxation, rapidly implement a reformed Warm Home Discount, and deliver the delayed Debt Relief Scheme¹. No timetable for any of these has been reported. The charity's report, Hitting the Rationing Wall, is published alongside the research¹.